Man trampled to death by elephant while taking selfie with animal

(Scroll down for video) A man was trampled to death by an elephant near the Kuanramunda forest in India.

Assistant Conservator of Forest JK Mohanty said that the elephant had wandered away from its herd and they tried to direct it back.

A few locals came to help out in the mission. According to Philip Sahu, while doing so, the group of locals stayed a safe distance away from the wild animal, but 54-year-old Ashok Bharti decided to take an up close selfie with the elephant.

Bharti walked closer to the animal while one of his friend’s took videos from a few meters away.

While taking the selfie, the elephant suddenly began running towards Bharti. He ran away, but the animal ran after him. Bharti soon fell to the ground and the animal got on top and trampled him.

“The animal was nervous as it had strayed away from his family and when the man came too close, the elephant attacked him,” Sahu said.

After a short time, the elephant walked away. The locals and forest officials went to help Bhari. He was taken to the Rourkela government hospital, where he was pronounced dead by doctors.